Uttar Pradesh government employees to strike tomorrow on reservation in promotion

LUCKNOW: Around 18 lakh employees of the Uttar Pradesh government, barring those in emergency services, would observe strike tomorrow against Union government move clearing a proposal on providing reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in promotions.

The 18 lakh employees of all the departments under the banner of ' Sarvjan Hitai Sanrakshan Samiti' would strike work tomorrow all over the state, its president Shailendra Dubey said.

The employees would stage protest meetings against the move at the district-level and also in the state capital, Dubey said adding, emergency services would, however, remain intact during this period.

Dubey said that the proposal for reservation in promotion is an attempt to disturb the basic structure of the constitution and encroach upon the right to equality.

There have been four attempts in the past and this would be the fifth to amend the constitution, and the three crore employees of the country would not tolerate it, Dubey added.

Earlier today, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the proposal for making provisions for quotas for SC/STs in promotions in government jobs.

The Cabinet nod clears the decks for introduction of a Constitution Amendment Bill in the ongoing session of Parliament, which has been a long-standing demand of all parties, barring the Samajwadi Party.